YXJ - 12

She picked up the ball of yarn and the half-finished sleeve and went back to her room.

Jiang Congxian didn’t sleep with her unless he had a need for her, in which case he would come to her room.

Lin Wangshu’s bed wasn’t big. It was more than enough for her alone, but with Jiang Congxian, it would feel a bit cramped.

Lin Wangshu always had to curl up in his arms to feel a little comfortable; otherwise, her back would be against the wall, which was very uncomfortable.

He had work to do today, so he didn’t have time to “dally” with her.

Lin Wangshu never practiced her instrument at home, afraid of disturbing them.

She mainly studied to pass the time, which was tedious and boring.

Today, she had finally learned a new skill. She found a tutorial online and started knitting according to it.

She planned to make a test piece first, and if it was successful, she would knit one for her grandmother and Lin Yue.

________________________________________

She would come home from school and knit.

She only had the last half of a sleeve left to knit on one sweater. Xiao Lian praised her, “Sister Shushu, you’re amazing. It took me more than a month the first time I knitted, but you’ve finished so quickly.”

Lin Wangshu wasn’t sure if she had knitted it correctly. She held up the sweater and asked Xiao Lian, “Is this right?”

“It’s right.” Xiao Lian took the sweater and examined it up and down. “It’s so beautiful. The master will definitely like it.”

“It’s not for him.”

She folded the clothes again. She had only meant to practice, so she hadn’t made it to his size.

Jiang Congxian was one meter ninety centimeters tall. In a suit, he looked slender and refined, but out of his clothes, he was lean and muscular.

He was taller, with wider shoulders, so this sweater wouldn’t fit him.

Xiao Lian was puzzled. It was clearly a men’s sweater, but if it wasn’t for the master, who could it be for?

She didn’t ask further. She knew her place as a servant; the masters’ affairs were not for her to worry about.

Lin Wangshu hadn’t seen Jiang Congxian in a few days. He wasn’t back when she went to sleep.

When she got up, he hadn’t woken up yet.

Their schedules seemed to be out of sync.

Lin Wangshu rarely had such a relaxing time and only wished he would be this busy every day.

These past few days, he had been coming home late at night, always drunk, and occasionally carrying the scent of women’s perfume.

It was a strong, pungent smell.

Jiang Yuan helped Jiang Congxian into the house.

Lin Wangshu was writing a paper and came out to make coffee. She happened to see them.

Jiang Congxian sat on the sofa, his tie loose, and his pale neck was flushed a light red from the alcohol.

He raised his hand to massage his temples.

Xiao Lian had received a call from Jiang Yuan half an hour ago and had already prepared hangover tea.

Jiang Congxian drank it without changing his expression. As he put down the cup, his eyes fell on Lin Wangshu making coffee by the bar counter.

He pulled out his tie and started to unbutton his shirt collar, his voice low and hoarse, “Come here.”

Lin Wangshu didn’t move, holding her coffee cup.

He frowned slightly, “I told you to come here.”

Although reluctant, she still had to obey, putting down the coffee cup and walking over.

“Help me to the bathroom.”

Lin Wangshu hesitated for a moment, “How can I help you? You’re too heavy.”

He said flatly, “I’m drunk, not crippled.”

After speaking, he wrapped an arm around Lin Wangshu’s slender waist, leaning most of his body weight on her.

Lin Wangshu, who was one meter sixty-eight centimeters tall, with slender arms and legs, found it a bit difficult to support him. “You’re so heavy.”

He smirked, leaning in to whisper in her ear, “You didn’t complain that I was heavy when I was on you for four or five hours.”

His tone was casual and wanton.

Lin Wangshu pursed her lips slightly, her memory seeming to drift back to those intimate scenes. Her ears turned a little red.

“Stop it.”

Seeing her shyness, Jiang Congxian smiled and nodded, “Okay, I won’t say any more.”

The bathroom was on the second floor. Although Jiang Congxian was being supported by Lin Wangshu, he wasn’t so drunk that he couldn’t walk.

So, Lin Wangshu found it relatively easy.

His clothes were permeated with the smell of smoke and alcohol, as well as a hint of women’s perfume.

The mixed scents were not to Lin Wangshu’s liking.

She covered her nose and turned her head away.

Jiang Congxian closed the bathroom door behind him and started taking off his jacket. “You think I stink?”

Lin Wangshu didn’t respond.

Jiang Congxian, on the other hand, was unusually patient. “What do you dislike, the smell of alcohol or perfume?”

It seemed that if she didn’t answer, he would keep asking. Lin Wangshu had no choice but to say, “The smell of smoke and alcohol.”

Jiang Congxian asked her, “What about the perfume?”

“It’s alright.”

“Hmm?” He was relentless, seemingly wanting a definite answer.

To end the topic, Lin Wangshu said against her conscience, “I don’t dislike it, I quite like it.”

He couldn’t stand in the shower in his current state. She walked over and started running the water for the bathtub.

The sound of the water covered the rustling sound of clothes behind her.

When she stood up, she saw Jiang Congxian, naked from the waist up. His waist was strong, and his abs were firm.

He unbuckled his belt, and his pants hung loosely, revealing a glimpse of his V-line.

Lin Wangshu closed her eyes and turned around, her back to him. “Wait for me to leave before you take them off.”

He calmly took off his pants. “You’ve seen it before.”

Lin Wangshu frowned, trying to slide past the wall to get out.

Jiang Congxian didn’t stop her and said nonchalantly, “If you like it, I’ll help you ask about it someday.”

Lin Wangshu stopped, “What?”

His eyes were indifferent, “Didn’t you say you liked it?”

Lin Wangshu then realized he was talking about the perfume scent on him.

It seemed he was quite familiar with the owner of that perfume.

“I don’t like wearing perfume.”

Jiang Congxian nodded, as if thinking about something, or perhaps nothing at all.

Lin Wangshu said, “I’m going out now. You can take your time washing.”

The man’s calm voice came from behind her, “Socializing for business, smoke and alcohol are unavoidable. As for the perfume, it should be from one of the female companions of a client.”

Lin Wangshu didn’t know why he was telling her this. After a light hum, she asked, “Can I go out now?”

It was silent behind her for a long time; there was no movement.

Lin Wangshu hesitated for a moment but then opened the door and left.

...

After writing two-thirds of her paper, she turned off the computer and went to bed.

Jiang Congxian had been very busy these past few days and didn’t have time to bother her, so Lin Wangshu had been sleeping very well.

She slept dreamlessly all night.

The end-of-month audition was fast approaching, and her preparations were almost complete.

She had planned to meet Xun Ya at the library in the afternoon and intended to finish knitting the last half of the sweater sleeve.

She was serious about her work and had a stubborn streak. Once she started something, she had to finish it.

Xun Ya had watched her knit so much these days that she was close to learning it herself.

She teased Lin Wangshu, “It looks like a men’s sweater. Who are you knitting it for?”

“I originally wanted to knit it for Lin Yue, but since it’s my first time, I was a bit rusty, so it turned out a bit big.”

Lin Yue was in junior high school. Although he was young, he was already one meter seventy centimeters tall.

He was developing faster than his peers.

Xun Ya seemed to have thought of something and looked at her with a knowing smile. “I feel like this size would be perfect for a certain someone.”

Lin Wangshu tilted her head in confusion. “Who?”

Xun Ya’s eyes landed behind her. “Here he comes.”

He Jingyang must have just finished class, with a backpack slung over his left shoulder. Xun Ya waved at him.

When he saw her, he walked over.

Xun Ya moved further in, making space for him. “What took you so long?”

“The teacher went over time.”

He looked at Lin Wangshu, and his pale, handsome face flushed slightly. “Don’t you have to practice today?”

Lin Wangshu did the final finishing touches and put away her knitting needles.

A slightly imperfect sweater was now finished.

She shook her head. “I’ve prepared enough. I want to rest today.”

“That’s good, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” After he said that, he noticed the sweater in her hands. “Did you knit this yourself?”

“Yes.”

He exclaimed in surprise, “That’s amazing.”

Xun Ya nudged his side with her elbow, hinting, “This sweater doesn’t have an owner yet.”

“What?”

Xun Ya gave him a meaningful look. He Jingyang, realizing what she meant a little late, turned completely red.

Xun Ya saw his bashful, “little wife” expression and was annoyed that he wasn’t more assertive.

But she decided to see it through, and Xun Ya went with the flow, “Lin Yue can’t wear it anyway, so it’s a waste to just let it sit there. Why not make the best use of it and let He Jingyang be your model? It’s a good chance to see if it fits.”

Her words tempted Lin Wangshu. She had been worried about how it would look when worn but couldn’t find a suitable person to try it on.

Jiang Congxian’s build was even bigger, and he would certainly never agree to be her model.

Xun Ya smiled, took the clothes, and handed them to He Jingyang. “Try it on and see if it fits.”

He Jingyang looked at Lin Wangshu, seemingly seeking her permission.

She hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

After getting her approval, He Jingyang took off his jacket. He was wearing a T-shirt underneath and put the sweater on directly.

The size was right, but the craftsmanship was a bit rough.

There were obvious dropped stitches in some places, which looked like holes.

Sure enough, it’s not very good.

Seeing the hint of disappointment on Lin Wangshu’s face, He Jingyang quickly said, “It’s very beautiful, I like it a lot. And the style is very unique. These holes look... they look like they were specially designed.”

He probably wasn’t used to lying, and his words were a bit halting.

Lin Wangshu said softly, “You can’t really wear it like this. Take it off.”

He Jingyang clutched the hem and shook his head, refusing to take it off. His voice became smaller and smaller. “You can’t take back a gift once it’s given.”

His words sounded quite wronged.

Xun Ya next to him found it all hilarious. Her laugh was a little loud. After getting an eye-roll from the couple at the next table, she lowered her voice, “If he likes it, just let him keep it. Lin Yue can’t wear this one anyway.”

Lin Wangshu was silent for a moment, then nodded lightly with a soft hum.

Indeed, it would be a waste to throw it away, so it might as well be put to good use.

________________________________________

The end of the month arrived quickly. The auditorium was packed with people who had come early to get seats. Although it was supposed to start in the afternoon, it was already full by noon. Some people who couldn’t get seats even stood in the hallway.

Only the first two rows were empty. It was said that a VIP would be coming today, and those seats were reserved for them.

These students weren’t very interested in music; they were purely here to see the people.

It was a rare sight to have Beinan University’s two most famous beauties in one place.

Lin Wangshu was doing her makeup backstage. The dress she was wearing today was a birthday gift from Jiang Congxian last month. He had personally flown her to New York to have it custom-made.

It was still to his taste.

But at least it was elegant and demure, suitable for such an occasion.

The makeup room was shared. Lin Wangshu’s makeup today was very light; she didn’t even curl her eyelashes.

But she still gave off a cool and stunning beauty; she was pretty enough that she looked good even without makeup.

Chen Sumin came over with her bag. Her hair and makeup had already been done by a stylist.

It was clear that she took this audition very seriously.

After glancing at Lin Wangshu, she pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. “You’re dressed up so beautifully, what a shame.”

Lin Wangshu was looking down, replying to a message.

It was from Xun Ya, telling her to do her best.

She had something to do today and couldn’t come to the event.

Hearing Chen Sumin’s words, Lin Wangshu’s movements paused for a moment. But then, with a light tap, she pressed send.

Chen Sumin applied lipstick, looking into the mirror. “No matter how beautiful you’re dressed, you’re just a runner-up, isn’t that a shame?”

Lin Wangshu had grown up in this circle and had seen her share of glamour and power. The wealthy and influential could easily create many unfair situations.

She understood what Chen Sumin meant.

No matter how hard she worked, the spot in the final selection was already decided.

Her fingers tightened as she tried to control her emotions.

How long had she been preparing for this audition? It was her only hope right now.

She actually hated her current self, having to become Jiang Congxian’s caged bird to survive.

For Lin Yue and for her grandmother, she had to seize this opportunity.

But...

She suddenly felt exhausted, as if she had no chance of winning at all.

Someone who was born in that world knew the rules there.

Having nothing, she couldn’t compete with Chen Sumin.

________________________________________

For Jiang Congxian’s arrival, the dean personally stood at the school gate to welcome him.

Over the years, he had done a lot of charity work, donating to dozens of schools alone.

The new campus being built at Beinan University was also funded by him. He had also established a scholarship fund, allocating ten million yuan a year.

As he was escorted to the auditorium, Jiang Congxian glanced at the packed hall and said with a faint smile, “I didn’t realize there were so many music lovers at your school.”

The student who was with him laughed, “It’s not that music is popular; it’s that the people who play the music are popular.”

He raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh?”

Unexpectedly, he got a response. The student felt honored and elaborated, “Among the students participating in the audition today are two of our school’s famous beauties, one named Chen Sumin and the other Lin Wangshu. They’re both sophomores. This time, some people are even betting on who will win.”

The dean heard this and frowned, “You’re gambling on campus now?”

The student laughed it off, “It’s just for fun. It’s not gambling, and not many people are involved, just the guys in our dorms.”

The dean seemed ready to pursue the matter further, but Jiang Congxian stopped him. He smiled gently, showing leniency towards the younger generation. “Kids are bound to be playful. A small amount is harmless. Let’s let it go this time.”

It was just for entertainment, like a vote. Given that it was their first offense and with Jiang Congxian’s intervention, the dean didn’t press the issue. He just sternly warned them, “If I find out there’s a next time, all of you had better watch out!”

“Understood.” The student promised with a seemingly sincere attitude and then asked Jiang Congxian, “Do you want to place a bet, too?”

He looked up slightly, seeming a little interested. “Who are you betting on?”

He chuckled, “Chen Sumin. Her looks are exactly my type.”

Jiang Congxian nodded thoughtfully, pulling a banknote from his wallet. “Then I’ll bet on Lin Wangshu.”

“Bet on Lin Wangshu? Why?”

He smiled faintly, “Her looks are also my type.”